SKF
89744
223307999
2008-07-03T14:20:24Z
195.101.10.250
/* External links */
{{Infobox Company |
| company_name = AB SKF
| company_logo = [[Image:SKF.svg|185px]]
| company_type = Public ({{OMX|SSE285|SKF B}})
| foundation = 1907
| location = [[Gothenburg]], [[Sweden]]
| key_people = Leif Östling <small>([[chair (official)|Chairman]] of the [[board of directors|board]])</small>, Tom Johnstone <small>(President and [[chief executive officer|CEO]])</small>
| industry = [[Manufacturing]]
| products = Bearings, linear motion products, seals, lubrication systems, maintenance products, grease
| revenue = [[Swedish krona|SEK]] 58,559 million <small>(2007)</small><ref name="AR2007">{{cite web |url=http://investors.skf.com/files/press/skf/SKF_Annualreport2007_eng.pdf |title=Annual Report 2007 |accessdate=2008-04-15 |publisher=SKF}}</ref>
| operating_income = {{profit}} SEK 7,539 million <small>(2007)</small><ref name="AR2007" />
| num_employees= 42,900 <small>(2007)</small><ref name="AR2007" />
| company_slogan = ''To equip the world with SKF knowledge''
| homepage = [http://www.skf.com/ www.skf.com]
| intl = yes
}}
'''SKF''', ''Svenska Kullagerfabriken AB'', later ''AB SKF'', is a [[Sweden|Swedish]] [[rolling-element bearing|bearing]] [[company]] founded in [[1907]], supplying bearings, [[seal (mechanical)|seals]], lubrication and lubrication systems, maintenance products, mechatronics products, power transmission products, customer solutions and related services globally.
==History==
[[Image:Ball bearing self aligning.gif|frame|left|SKF self-aligning ball bearing.|thumb]]
The company, founded on [[Sven Gustaf Wingqvist|Sven Wingqvist's]] 1907 Swedish [[patent]] No. 25406, a multi-row self-aligning radial [[ball bearing]]. The Patent was granted on June 6 in Sweden coinciding with patents in 10 other countries. The new [[ball bearing]] was successful from the outset. By [[1910]], the company had 325 employees and a subsidiary in the [[United Kingdom]]. [[Manufacturing]] operations were later established in multiple countries.
By [[1912]], SKF was represented in 32 countries and by [[1930]], a staff of over 21,000 were employed in 12 [[manufacturing]] facilities worldwide. [[Assar Gabrielsson]], SKF sales manager and [[Björn Prytz]], Managing Director of SKF were the founders of [[Volvo]] AB in 1926. In the beginning, the company functioned as a subsidiary automobile company within the SKF group. SKF funded the production run of the first thousand cars, built at [[Hisingen]], in [[Gothenburg]], beginning in 1927. SKF used one of the company's trademarked names: AB Volvo, which derives from the Latin "I roll", with its obvious connotations of bearings in motion. The ownership of Volvo lasted until 1935 when the last shares were divested.
==Present day business==
[[Image:Skf hk3 goteborg 2006.jpg|thumb|right|200px|SKF corporate headquarters in Gothenburg.]]
[[Image:SKF i Göteborg, den 16 aug 2006, bild 25.JPG|thumb|right|200px|SKF in Gothenburg.]]
Today, SKF is the largest bearing manufacturer in the world and employs approximately 40,000 people in approximately 100 manufacturing sites that span 70 countries [http://www.skf.com/portal/skf/home/about?lang=en]. [[Revenue|Turnover]] for [[Fiscal year|FY]][[2005]] was [[Swedish krona|SEK]]49,285 million, and total assets were SEK40,349 million. The SKF Group currently consists of approximately 150 companies including the [[seal(mehanical)|seal]] manufacturer [[Chicago Rawhide]]. Since its founding, SKF's company headquarters have been located in [[Gothenburg]]. One recent acquisition was that of Economos, part of [[Salzer Holding]], an [[Austria]]-based seal company, [[Jaeger Industrial]] and ABBA, [[Taiwan]]ese manufacturers of [[linear actuators]].
The company's clients include [[General Electric]], [[Rolls-Royce plc]] and [[Pratt and Whitney]]. It also supplies bearings for [[Ferrari]] [[racing]] vehicles, used in [[Formula One]] races [http://www.logisticsit.com/absolutenm/templates/article-forecasting.aspx?articleid=2060&zoneid=3], and is a [[sponsorship|sponsor]] of F1.
SKF employs a [[Six Sigma]] business approach. CEO Mr. Tom Johnstone was recognized as the Premier Six Sigma Leader of the year (2006) in Europe by the International Society of Six Sigma Professionals.
SKF currently sponsors [[Richard Childress Racing]] and [[Jeff Burton]] in the [[NASCAR]] Nextel Cup Series.
==See also==
*[[List of Swedish companies]]
== Company history references ==
* SKF - The history of a Swedish Export Industry, 1907-1957, by Birger Steckzén, 1957. (Swedish language only).
==References==
<references />
== External links ==
*[http://www.skf.com/ SKF] - Official site
*[http://www.linearmotion.skf.com/ SKF Linear Motion] - SKF Linear Motion
*[http://www.linearmotion.skf.co.uk/ SKF United Kingdom] - SKF Linear Motion - United Kingdom
*[http://www.motiontech.skf.us/ SKF United States] - SKF Linear Motion - United States
*[http://www.skf.com/skf/productcatalogue/jsp/calculation/calculationIndex.jsp? SKF bearing selection calculators] - Useful calculators for bearing selection (bearing life, loading, etc...).
{{OMX Stockholm 30 companies}}
[[Category:Companies of Sweden]]
[[Category:Companies established in 1907]]
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